HDR-First Workflow: Grading & Reviews with Simultaneous Deliverables?

Hey everyone, I'm Marcus Tillman, a Foley Artist, and I've been wrestling with something on the post-production side. We just wrapped a commercial shoot shot on an ALEXA Mini, lit pretty heavily with a SkyPanel X and a couple of LS 1200d Pros. The client wants both HDR and SDR deliverables, which is becoming the norm. I've always heard the 'HDR-first' workflow touted as best practice, but frankly, I’m finding the simultaneous deliverable requirement a bit tricky.

My usual approach (pre-HDR demand) was to get a solid SDR grade locked in, then move to specifics. Now, trying to nail that initial HDR grade while keeping the SDR translation in mind for client reviews is throwing me off. I've been experimenting with different LUTs for the SDR trim pass, but often the client review in SDR isn't reflecting the punch of the HDR we're aiming for. It feels like I'm grading twice, or compromising one for the other upfront.

How has the increasing demand for simultaneous HDR and SDR deliverables changed how you approach your initial grade and client review sessions? Are you doing a 'best guess' HDR, then refining both, or is there a trick to getting those initial client SDR reviews to accurately reflect the HDR intent?